Water heater



Patentd pr. 28, i925.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

FRED OSCAR RACE, F mIJLSlDE, NEW JERSEY.

WATER HEATER.

Application med neember a1, 1921. seran nu.' 526,323.

To allwhom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRED OSCAR RAGE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hillside, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tater Heaters, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to water heaters, and

more particularly to such apparatus arranged for use on automotive vehicles and the like.

In the operationfof an automotive vehicle employing an'internal combustion engine as the source of energy, difficulty has been eX- perienced in storing the vehicle in an unheated garage, due to the danger of the water in the cooling system of the engine becoming frozen. Freezing of the water zauscs expansion which is apt to mutilate and damage expensive parts of the engine, 'such as the cylinder head.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and economical means for heating the water of such an engine 'While the vehicle of which the engine forms a part, is in storage. l

Another object relatesto the provision of a tubular member serving the double purpose of conducting water and supporting the heating elements.

Another object relates to the provision of electrical terminals, whereby electrical energy may be supplied to the heater elements, and means for supporting the terminals in a simple and improved manner.

Other objects will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is a longitudinal section of a water heater embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1- Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the electrical connections, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of an automotive vehicle engine having the'heater of Fig. l applied thereto. Fig. 5 is a view of a modied form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown one embodiment of the present invention comprising a tubular member l0 formed of a section of rubber tube or the like, having a length and internal diameter in accordance with the requirements for the particular 'type of automotive vehicle to which the heater is to be applied. The wall of the tubing 1G is preferably of suicient thickn ess to impart the necessary mechanical rigidity to the structure, and to withstand stresses caused by excessive Water pressures which may be set up during the operation of the vehicle. A layer of canvas, duck or other material (not shown) may be employed as a reenforcing medium in the walls of the tubing 10 in a conventional manner.

Mounted on the Walls of the tubing l0 near the respective ends thereof is a of binding posts 20 and 2l. These are each connected by means of a conducting metal strip 22 and 28 with conducting lugs 24 and 25 respectively. Each of the conducting lugs 24, 25 comprises an L shaped metal element secured in an insulating block 26 andV having an upwardlyextending prong 27, which may be provided with an odset 28. The prong 2T and the offset 28 are formed in accordance with usual electrical practice and the pair of prongs provided are adapted to engage an ordinary electric detachable plug soc et of conventional design- The insulating block 26 is secured in position on an intermediate portion of the tubing 10 by means of a pair of hose clamps 30 and 31, each of which may be adjustably fastened by means of a usual machine screw 32.

The interior ends of the binding posts 20 and 2l are electrically interconnected by a spirally Wound electrical conductor 40 formed of a suitable alloy whose temperature is raised by the passage of electrical current therethrough. The wire 4() is preferably wound spirally on the interior wall of the tube l0 between the binding posts 20 and 2l, and is held there by its own tension, it being secured at its ends to the binding posts 20 and 2l.

Referring to Fig. 4 there is shown an internal combustion engine 5() having a water circulating System comprising a passage 5l,

the usual radiator 52, a conducting pipe 53, a second conducting pipe 54. In the operation of the engine 50, water is circulated through this cooling system. there being in-.

tion is estab-lished to a source of energy, by.

means of an electrical cord 55 having f pair lll of insulated conductors terminating in a usual detachable plug socket 56, for connection with the prongs 27 of Fig. 1, and a detachable lug 57 for connection with an electrical lig t socket, thus a current of electricity passes through the conductor' 40 and heat is dissipated thereby.

It will be seen that the tubing 104 is interposed in the water cooling system of the engine at substantially the lowermost portion thereof and the water heated by the conductor 40 rises through the system, it being replaced by colder water from above. Thus a constant circulation is set up in the system and the water is kept at a predetermined temperature uniformly. The resistance of the conductor 40 is preferably such that the energy consumption is sulicient to heat the water to a temperature above the freezing point- In a modified embodiment of the inven' -tion shown in Fig. 5, the tubing 10 is provided `on its inner wall with a series of spirally arranged grooves 60 ,formed to engage the circumference of the helix. of the spring 40, and arranged to posltion the s ring 40l in; the position shown 1n l'ig. 1.

y means of the grooves 60, the s ring 40 is held positively in position wit in the tubing 10 and is adapted to withstand a relatively great degree of vibration thereof without displacement.

Illustrated ap aratus has been shown for the purpose of s owing a way in which the invention may be practiced, but it is expressly understood that the scope of the mvention is not to be limited thereby, reference being had to the appended claims for that purpose.

I claim:

1.` A water heater for an internal combustion engine, comprising tubing of electrically non-conductlve material through which the water is circulated, and a water submerged electric heating element disposed within said non-conductive tubing and in contact with the walls thereof.

2. A water heater for an internal combustion engine, comprising a tube of electrically non-conductive material through which the Water is circulated, a spirally wound electric heating element submerged in the water within saidnon-conductive tube in close -contact with the walls of said tube, and means whereby electric current is supplied externally of said tube.

3. A water heater for an internal combustion engine, comprising a tube of. electrically-non-conductive material inte osed in the water circulation system and a apted to have water circulated therethrough, a .spi-I rally wound velectric heating element submerged in the water within said tube and in close contact with the inside Walls of said tube, and aterminal at each end of said electric heating element extending through the tube and adapted to be connected exv ternally with a source of electric current.

4. A water heater for an internal combustion engine, comprising a tube of electrically non-conductive material, a spirally y wound electric heating element submerged within the water in said tube and Ain close" contact with` the inside walls of said tube,

afterminal at each end of said electric heating element and projecting externally of said tube to make connection with a source of electric current, said tube being interposed in the cooling system of the engine so as to 'have water circulating therethrou h.

5. A water heater for an internal comustion engine, comprisingatube of electrically non-conductive materlal thrtgughwhich the Water is circulated, a spirally" wound electric heating element submerged within the water in said tube and in close contact with the inside walls thereof, an insulating block mounted on the outside of said tube, a pluralit of hose clamps to secure said insulatlock to the tube, terminals at each en' of said electric heating element connected to said insulating block, and a air of prongs mounted on said insulating b ock and adapted to be 'connected with an outside source of electric current.

6. A water heater for an internal combus- ,clamps to secure said insulating block to the outside of the tube, a pair of prongs electrically connected to said terminals and projecting from said insulatin block `and adapted t'o be connected wit an outside source of electric current.

Intestimony whereof, I have .signed my name hereto. L

F. OSCAR RACE. 

